How to Hide Pictures in the Photos App on iPhone and iPad

[MacRumors]

Sometimes you might not want certain pictures shot on your iPhone or iPad to take pride of place in your Photo Library, but for whatever reason, you don't want to just outright delete them. Fortunately, Apple's Photos app includes an option to hide certain photos from the main library. This article shows you how.

Bear in mind that hiding pictures via the following method ensures they won't appear in the Photos or For You sections of the Photos app, but they will still be accessible in the Albums section. If you're looking for a more secure way to squirrel away pictures, consider using a third-party app like Safe Lock instead.

How to Hide Pictures in the Photos App

1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Select in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Tap the pictures you want to hide.
   
   
   
   Tap the Share button in the bottom-left corner of the screen. (It looks like a square with an arrow pointing out.)
4. In the Share Sheet's bottom row of available actions, tap Hide.
5. Tap the prompt that appears at the bottom of the screen to confirm.

Note that pictures you choose to hide from your photo library are stored in an album called Hidden, which lives in the Albums tab.

How to Unhide Pictures in the Photos App

1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. Scroll to the bottom and under Other Albums, tap Hidden.
   
   
   
   Tap Select in the top-right corner of the screen.
4. Tap the pictures you want to unhide.
5. Tap the Share button at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
6. In the Share Sheet's bottom row of available actions, tap Unhide.

Article Link: How to Hide Pictures in the Photos App on iPhone and iPad

 

[Pelea]

Yes cause putting photos in a visible file called “hidden” is so smart.

 

[reybart]

But I can’t put password.

 

[hambo]

Exactly...so dumb...I wanted to hide a picture of a present for my partner and she found it. So no surprise for her.

 

[Combi06]

This 'feature' is pretty much useless!

 

[itsmilo]

So dumb without Face ID lock. Might as well call it LOOK AT ME

 

[Mansu944]

Yes cause putting photos in a visible file called “hidden” is so smart.

I’m assuming the intent is to get it out of your main camera roll...not to hide evidence from the cops.

 

[Ronald C Schoedel III]

I’m assuming the intent is to get it out of your main camera roll...not to hide evidence from the cops.

Exactly. It’s a similar concept to having a stack of bills front and center on my desk, or setting them off to the side underneath a pile of other stuff. They’re still there, and I still know where to find them, but I don’t have to stare at them.

 

[HelloMikee]

Love this because now when I’m scrolling through my photos I don’t have to be embarrassed by someone seeing my Shawn Mendes photos I’ve saved lol.

But in all seriousness, it’s a nice thing to have. Next step would be allowing to lock the hidden album with Face ID

 

[Mr. Donahue]

I was trying to search through my photos and realized I don’t like the photos app. I don’t know how to make it better. But I know it could be.

 

[Razeus]

iOS's most useless feature.

Let me put a lock on certain Albums Apple!

 

[ghostface147]

It should be password protected. Not FaceID or TouchID because multiple people can have access that way. I have my fingerprint on my wife's phone and she has her face on my phone. Yes, we go through each others phone. Not because we don't trust each other but because we're nosy. Turns out we lead boring lives and she messages a lot with her best friend and they send each other the stupidest selfies. They talk about boobs a lot.

Anyways, password protected because maybe I am taking pictures of items she may want for her birthday or Christmas and I don't want her seeing it.

 

[Mr. Donahue]

I’m assuming the intent is to get it out of your main camera roll...not to hide evidence from the cops.

But Apple got rid of he camera roll.

 

[TonyC28]

This will help people who have anxiety when it comes to deleting pictures.

 

[Mansu944]

But Apple got rid of he camera roll.

Hmmm. Mine says camera roll. Might want to look at it again.

 

[Ebok]

This has been a “feature” for a while.

Why not just have a password protected folder. I mean it’s more logical, no?

 

[Jedwardoo]

This is helpful. Even if it puts it in a folder caled “Hidden” would still be a better way than being inside the whole library.

Sometimes you might not want certain pictures shot on your iPhone or iPad to take pride of place in your Photo Library, but for whatever reason, you don't want to just outright delete them. Fortunately, Apple's Photos app includes an option to hide certain photos from the main library. This article shows you how.

Bear in mind that hiding pictures via the following method ensures they won't appear in the Photos or For You sections of the Photos app, but they will still be accessible in the Albums section. If you're looking for a more secure way to squirrel away pictures, consider using a third-party app like Safe Lock instead.

How to Hide Pictures in the Photos App

1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Select in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Tap the pictures you want to hide.
   
   
   
   Tap the Share button in the bottom-left corner of the screen. (It looks like a square with an arrow pointing out.)
4. In the Share Sheet's bottom row of available actions, tap Hide.
5. Tap the prompt that appears at the bottom of the screen to confirm.

Note that pictures you choose to hide from your photo library are stored in an album called Hidden, which lives in the Albums tab.

How to Unhide Pictures in the Photos App

1. Launch the Photos app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. Scroll to the bottom and under Other Albums, tap Hidden.
   
   
   
   Tap Select in the top-right corner of the screen.
4. Tap the pictures you want to unhide.
5. Tap the Share button at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
6. In the Share Sheet's bottom row of available actions, tap Unhide.

Article Link: How to Hide Pictures From the Photos App in iOS 12

 

[digason]

Hmmm. Mine says camera roll. Might want to look at it again.

My guess is if you have "iCloud Photos" enabled, the camera roll label disappears.

 

[Hicksmat1976]

Yes cause putting photos in a visible file called “hidden” is so smart.

But I can’t put password.

I can't believe that in this day and age its not possible to have Photo Album folders which require touch/Face ID to unlock.

 

[newyorksole]

Exactly...so dumb...I wanted to hide a picture of a present for my partner and she found it. So no surprise for her.

Well that’s your own fault to be honest. If she snooped around your phone you probably knew that she would be capable of that. Should have emailed it to yourself and put it in a random email folder.
[doublepost=1539096365][/doublepost]

I was trying to search through my photos and realized I don’t like the photos app. I don’t know how to make it better. But I know it could be.

I just hate the way it looks when you don’t have several photo albums. I set my iPhone XS Max up as new and manually synced some albums from Photos on the Mac.

However, those albums are in a different section and it just makes my app look... Bare.
[doublepost=1539096453][/doublepost]

But Apple got rid of he camera roll.

That’s only if you use iCloud Photo Library (which I would never).

 

[nicho]

Exactly...so dumb...I wanted to hide a picture of a present for my partner and she found it. So no surprise for her.

Anyways, password protected because maybe I am taking pictures of items she may want for her birthday or Christmas and I don't want her seeing it.

In case you didn't know... you could take photos within the notes app, and password protect that/those notes. Although I guess in this case, that'd involve not using touch ID/Face ID to unlock notes, so it may/may not work for you.

 

[Steiny33]

Yes cause putting photos in a visible file called “hidden” is so smart.

Do you honestly not understand this feature and the purpose of are you just trolling? The feature is to hide it from your main camera roll so if you happen to take regular dick pics and ****, but want to show someone some of your normal pics, they won't get a sudden shock of seeing the wiener.

 

[now i see it]

This has always been a worthless feature. Still is.

 

[surgeinc]

Just something to note,

This album will sync to other iOS devices you have linked. It will also sync to a Mac but the album, as far as I can tell, won't be present but the masters will all still download to the photo's library and can be found in the file system.

 

[leepalisoc]

I’m assuming the intent is to get it out of your main camera roll...not to hide evidence from the cops.

...or from your partner.